January 31, 2017

Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh face relocation to island

A government directive said they would be transferred to Thengar Char before being repatriated to Myanmar.

Rights groups have raised strong objections to the plan, saying it amounts to a forced relocation.

Thengar Char is engulfed by several feet of water at high tide, and has no roads or flood defences.

It was formed about a decade ago by sediment from the River Meghna, and does not appear on most maps. The low-lying land is around 30km (18 miles) east of Hatiya island, which has a population of 600,000 - and nine hours' journey from the camps where the Rohingya have taken shelter. (Courtesy of bbc.com)